Chapter I

Introduction (1-30)

We meditate on Arhatship, the foundation of ail the Arhats, the abode of the Sri1 of emancipation, the light of the three worlds—earth, air, and heaven. We worship the Arhats, who at all times and all places purify the people of the three worlds by their name, representation, substance, and actual existence.2 We praise Rgabha Svamin, who was the first king, the first ascetic, the first head of a congregation. I praise the Arhat Ajita, the sun to the lotus-bed in the form of the universe, in the clear mirror of whose omniscience the world is reflected. May the words of the Lord of the World, Holy Sambhava, prevail at the time of his preaching—words that resemble rivers in the garden of all the souls who can attain emancipation.8 May the Blessed Abhinandana, the moon for the..

1. Sivasrl.

This use of srl is characteristic of Hemacandra. He habitually uses the word with the personification carried to the point that the translation ‘goddess' would be justified; with no reference, however, to Laksmi. Cf. the Marathi use, M.C.S.v,

2.Meaning Of Dravya And Bhav

2. Everything is to be considered from four aspects (niksepa): nama, sthapana (more usual term than the akrti of the text), dravya, and bhava. In regard to a Tlrthankara, nama is the name, i.e., the mere word, and its repetition calls up his figure before the mind; sthapana, the representation, refers to any material representation of a Tlrthankara; dravya, substance (in the case of a human being it is the 'soul'), is the essential qualities that will be transformed into a Tlrthankara in the future ; bhava, actual existence, is when he actually becomes a Tlrthankara. Anuyog. 8, p. 10 f. O. of J. p. 74. 8 5. Souls are divided into two classes: bhavyas—those that can attain emancipation, and abhavyas—those that can not, Avacurni, p. 99a. VEesavasyakabhasya, tloka 1821 ff. T.i.i.c,